Citizenship Teaching Materials and Lesson Plans

The Just Children Story Sack

Education for a Just World, is a new partnership initiative between Trocaire and the Centre for Human Rights and Citizenship Education, St Patrick’s College, Drumcondra, Dublin. The partnership has just launched the Just Children story sack. Aimed at pre-school educators and Infant class teachers, the sack is built around the colourful children’s story of Mama Panya’s Pancakes. Set in Kenya, the story depicts the journey made by Adika and his mother to their local market to buy food to make pancakes. On their way Adika, despite his mother’s reluctance, invites an increasing number of friends for pancakes. To Mama Panya’s relief, the friends do not arrive at the pancake party empty handed, but with food and music for a feast.

The handbook and resources included in the sack build on this story. Developed in consultation with educators and early education experts, the handbook contains a programme of learning experiences designed to introduce children aged 3 to 6 years to concepts such as: fairness, interdependence, near and far, similarity and difference and another perspective, in a global context. With a puppet, songs, a CD and photographs, the sack provides an example of how education for a just world can begin in pre-school educational settings.